Cushion arch support



Oct. 30, 1928.

. J. STROOTMAN CUSHION ARCH SUPPORT Filed Sept. 2, 1925 Zita/20 Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN STROOTMAN, 0F BUFFALO, .YORK.

CUSHION ARCH surrom'.

Application filed September 2, 1925. Serial No. 54,934.

This invention relates to the class of cushi'on arch supports which are removably seated in the shoes.

Its principal object is the provision of a flexible and comparatively soft support of this nature which effectually eases and relieves arch pains.

Further objects are to produce an arch support which also serves as a shoe-filler to fit the shoe when loose or large at the heel or instep of the foot.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a shoe containing the improved arch support. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the support,.the same being shaped for the left foot. Figure 3 is a similar view of the lower or cushion-layer. Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4, Fig. 2. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the support.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The support consists of a cushion or lower 7 layer 10 of wool-feltor other suitable soft and flexible material and a cover or upper layer 11 of felt or similar material secured to the cushion by cement or other appropriate means.

In its upper side, the cushion 10, which is intended for the left foot, is cupped to form a cavity or depression 12 which is shaped to conform to and receive the arch and heel of the foot, the cavity being rounded at the heel and formed in its inner or right side with a convex curve 13 to fit the concavity of the inner side of the arch, while the oppositewall 14 of the cavity is substantially straight to follow the outer or leftside of the foot. In the cushion for the right foot, the arrangement of these straight and convex cavitywalls is obviously reversed.

In the process of making the arch-support, after thus shaping the cushion or lower layer,

P the upper layer 11, which is relatively thin,

is placed upon the cupped side of the cushion and the two layers are then pressed together between suitable dies, the opposing sides of the layers having been previously coated with cement to securely unite them. By this pressing operation, the thin upper layer conforms to the cupped upper side of the cushion, reproducing in the surface of the cover-layer the cavity previously formed in the cushion.

As shown, the front end of the cushion layer is chamfered to merge without a shoulder into the insole of the shoe. When this improved arch-support is worn in a snugly-laced shoe, a weak or fallen arch is comfortably supported and promptly eased and relieved from pain. With the shoe so laced, the foot is drawn back in the shoe and its arch 1s raised by the support, giving a shoe-size more toe-room and relieving the toes from pressure and discomfort. This raising of the arch also imparts shapely high lines to the normal or slim-arch. foot.

At the same time, the cushion support acts as a shoe-filler which serves to fill and fit the shoe in case it should be somewhat loose or large at the heel or the instep of the foot.

The raised marginal rim 15 which bounds the foot-cavity 12 on three sides supports and braces the foot at both sides, counteracting any tendency of the foot and ankle to turn inward or outward and promoting straight walking.

If desired, the cover or top layer of the support may be extended to pass under the ball of the foot, such a modified form being illustrated in Fig. 5. In this case, one or more cut-outs or openings 16 may be formed in the cover opposite calluses or sore spots on the ball of the foot to relieve them from pressure and pain.

I claim as my invention A removable, arch-support, comprising a flexible cushion having a cavity to receive the heel and the arch of the foot, the outer side-wall of the cavity being substantially straight and its inner side-wall convex tofit the concavity of the inner side of the arch.

JOHN sTaoorMAN. 

